New Faber LP50's

[Tracy]

A strange thing happened: When I was separating my LP46 doubles this weekend (to switch the hardware over to my new LP50's and to have the LP46's hydro'd), one of the bolts seized up and would not budge after I had backed it off about an inch. Using my quarter-inch-drive socket wrench and box-end wrench, I was unable to get it to budge either forward or backward.

Today I took it to my RX-7 mechanic to have him use his impact tools on it. He, too, couldn't get the nut to budge. This is stainless steel hardware (from Piranha), only a few months old, and only dove in the swimming pool a couple of times.

Strange. (I am thinking a thread broke off under the nut, and things seized up when I was torquing things.)

My mechanic cut the bolt.

Lesson learned: I ordered a new bolt kit from Piranha. I have "always" kept a replacement nut, washer, and wing nut in my save-a-dive kit. From now on I will keep a complete replacement bolt assembly in my save-a-dive kit.

rx7diver

It is stainless. You tried to use it without lube. Stainless is one of the worst necessary evils ever created for fasteners.

Next time you are in a hotel, grab one of the little bars of soap and run it down the threads before you tighten or loosen stainless. I work in stainless fasteners every day, you always soap the threads before use. If not, you get to buy new hardware.

Don't use oil or never seize, it makes a mess and gets on your dive gear. Lots of dive gear can be destroyed with oil.
If you want it to stay on there awhile, use beeswax or some type of wax. Bar soap works great and rinse off clean when you are diving. Just remember to run it up the threads before you go to take it back apart next year. It doesn't take much, a quick swipe will do.
It also works great on drysuit zippers.
This is why hotels give you two bars. One to use in the shower and one to take home for your scuba diving hobby.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I wonder if I should use those on my newly acquired single post manifold and make me a set of shore diving doubles? I was going to use a couple 72’s but now you got me thinking?
What is the diameter of those Faber 50’s?

 

[rx7diver]

@Eric Sedletzky,

A LP50 has the same OD as a LP46: 5.5". So, I simply switched over my manifold and bands from my LP46's to my LP50's with no issues whatsoever. (Post #34, above.)

I haven't had a chance to do a long surface swim under snorkel power in the double 50's, though, so I can't comment on that aspect. But walking wearing them, and entering the water (lake) from shore, and descending along the slope, wearing my O'Neill 2/3 mm single-piece wetsuit, is quite easy and comfortable and fun.

If you have a Phoenix nozzle on your DH, I think you'll have a bit of a problem using your SS Freedom Plate with these manifolded LP50's (since these narrow cylinders mean the PRAM extends so much closer to your back). I use my VDH Argonaut Classic (flat) plate (which has the cut-out for the DH).

You know, I think if I were as young and fit as you, I might try the double 72's first. FWIW.

rx7diver

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

@Eric Sedletzky,

A LP50 has the same OD as a LP46: 5.5". So, I simply switched over my manifold and bands from my LP46's to my LP50's with no issues whatsoever. (Post #34, above.)

I haven't had a chance to do a long surface swim under snorkel power in the double 50's, though, so I can't comment on that aspect. But walking wearing them, and entering the water (lake) from shore, and descending along the slope, wearing my O'Neill 2/3 mm single-piece wetsuit, is quite easy and comfortable and fun.

If you have a Phoenix nozzle on your DH, I think you'll have a bit of a problem using your SS Freedom Plate with these manifolded LP50's (since these narrow cylinders mean the PRAM extends so much closer to your back). I use my VDH Argonaut Classic (flat) plate (which has the cut-out for the DH).

You know, I think if I were as young and fit as you, I might try the double 72's first. FWIW.

rx7diver

Young and fit? I’m 60. I’m working on the fit part but not much I can do about the young part.
I don’t currently own a double hose. Many have passed through my hands, and I used a stock DAAM early in my diving career and loved it to death, but I moved on and needed something more practical and not so maintenance intensive, so I got into old SP and Conshelfs.
I would run a Connie/1085 or a MK5/109 on a set of 50’s. I could make a set of custom bands very easily. I was thinking that US Divers single post post twin tank J manifold I have might be pretty sweet on a little set like that. They look way more agile than a twin 72’s and pretty streamlined too.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Ed, I’m 77 as of next week, and still diving. You have many more years/decades of diving left.

Now, concerning the USD straight manifold, I have it on my twin 50s. These are the same as in my photo a few pages back. I actually like the older manifold a bit better. Why? Because the center section can be tilted so that my double hose regulators meet my back flat, and not at an angle. With the straight manifold, the bottom of my regulator, a Mossback Mk3 (basically a USD Aquamaster with an updated first stage), digs a bit into my back when I’m out of the water. But I really like this setup; it is a replacement of my twin 42s, my “jump tanks,” which were steel 20-man liferaft bottles converted to scuba. The jump tanks take a 1/2 inch tapered thread manifold, and unfortunately it started leaking a year or so ago. So the twin AL 50s are its replacement.

IMG_3329 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
My AL 50s with a Dacor D-4 Double Diaphragm regulator attached. Note the new silicone diaphragm for this regulator.

John Photos003 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
Me using the USAF Jump Tanks in Alexander Springs State Park, Florida in 1970. These are the steel jump tanks (note the manifold guard).

IMG_1453 by John Ratliff, on Flickr
My Jump Tanks about three years ago, when they were still in use. Note also that with this manifold, I was able to reverse the J-valve so that the lever pointed forward. This precludes inadvertent tripping of the J-valve.

SeaRat

 

[gbeasley]

Next time you are in a hotel, grab one of the little bars of soap and run it down the threads before you tighten or loosen stainless. I work in stainless fasteners every day, you always soap the threads before use. If not, you get to buy new hardware.
Don't use oil or never seize, it makes a mess and gets on your dive gear.

Tracy,
I like the soap or bees wax. Forgot about the mess of Never Seize. It didn't matter in a waste water plant or a fuel terminal. It does matter on dive gear.